Seven complaints have been made to the Otago Regional Council about the fire, which has been burning in a empty section of the Timsfield subdivision for more than a week.
Willowridge Development owns the subdivision and director Allan Dippie could not be contacted for comment yesterday.
Lake Hawea residents used social media to air their frustration at the slow-burning fire which they say has spread smoke and ash across the town.
Criticism was also pointed at the regional council for letting the fire continue.
Many questioned why the burn-off was allowed so close to a residential area.
ORC director of environmental monitoring and operations Scott MacLean said council staff visited the site at least three times last week after the complaints were made to the council's pollution hotline.
''No breaches of the Otago Air Plan were detected at the time of those visits,'' Mr MacLean said.
If people at any time thought a pollution officer needed to attend the fire, they should call the council's pollution hotline so there could be a swift response.
The hotline was staffed at all times, which meant if a complaint was received the council could immediately respond to it, Mr MacLean said.
''We can't do that if people just talk about it on Facebook.''
Residents complained ash from the week-long burn-off had settled in the township.
Mr MacLean said while there were reports of an ashy black substance settling on vehicles in the area, it was in the days before the fire was lit.
There was also no evidence of prohibited items being burnt when the site was inspected.
There is now an open fire season in the Otago Rural Fire Authority's central zone.
